By RAY KELLY
Wellesnet recently checked in with Brian Rose, who has been at work, painstakingly reconstructing Orson Welles’ original vision for The Magnificent Ambersons using animation.
Rose began with a 4K scan of his copy of the 88-minute print released by RKO Radio Pictures in 1942. Using the preview cutting continuity of March 12, 1942 and surviving frame enlargements from Welles’ longer cut as a guide, Rose is recreating, as best he can, the 132-minute preview version using animation to fill in the gaps.
Rose graciously prepared for Wellesnet readers a “before and after” scene of Eugene Morgan’s visit to the Amberson’s home to see his beloved Isabel (see below). He has yet to complete the animation on the faces of the characters and record voice actors for the roles originally performed by Joseph Cotten, Tim Holt and others. However, it does give Wellesians an idea of what Rose has in mind.
“This project wouldn’t have happened without the enthusiasm of Wellesians,” Rose said. “They have kept his work alive. They have made this project necessary.”
Rose was kind enough to not only share some of this work-in-progress with Wellesnet, but to field a few questions about the status of his reconstruction.
How far have you progressed? And what remains to be done?
The Magnificent Ambersons exists for the first time in its 132-minute original cut. I have four shots remaining for which there is extra animation work. Next I will record actors, and do facial animation. Last, there is audio mixing, color grading, and fine revisions. My goal is to have work completed by December 2022. This marks 80 years since RKO ordered all the trims from Ambersons purged from its vaults.
What has been the biggest obstacle so far?
The biggest obstacle has involved Orson Welles’s narration. In many places his words compete with music inserted against his wishes. The most notorious example was the removal of Bernard Herrmann’s end credits theme. In its place, the studio used Roy Webb’s upbeat reprise of the Waldteufel theme that opens the film.
AI technology made it possible in almost every instance to separate the music. Audiences can hear Welles’s narration as intended. In a few instances, it was not possible to remove the music. This made new narration recordings necessary.
There were many challenges as far as interpreting the records related to the film. This approach is like translating from one language to another. It is about capturing the spirit of the original.
I intend to write a companion monograph that will explain my process. I want to be transparent about my methods. This undertaking is with the highest degree of academic rigor. It is not guesswork. It is an animation in service to scholarship.
Have you been in contact with the rights holders?
My goal is to achieve an official release for this work. I hope that it will further enhance the reputation of The Magnificent Ambersons. I have the highest respect for those who have been stewards of Welles and his legacy. When I am finished, they will be the first to see it. I hope it will please them.
Have you selected any voice actors yet?
I am in the process of casting actors. The challenge here is finding actors who can capture the spirit of the performance. Actors who are able to capture an echo of that original, without falling into impersonation. I want audiences to be able to enjoy this new version as a cohesive narrative.
What has the reaction of those who have seen the footage?
I have shared the work with a few scholars and critics, in the interest of gauging the efficacy of my work. So far the response has been a positive one, and when they raise concerns, I address them. There are those less sure of my methods. I understand this, because this approach is new. I hope I can persuade all that this effort exists to honor Welles’s work.
What sources or individuals have been especially helpful?
The two I must mention are Joseph Egan, who manages themagnificentambersons.com, and Roger Ryan, who undertook the first definitive reconstruction of the film. They have both been vital, essential sounding boards as I undertook this project. They offered advice, feedback, and crucial correctives. My project stands upon their labors, and stands upon both their shoulders. I am forever indebted to them.
(Wellesians can learn more about Brian Rose’s reconstruction work on The Magnificent Ambersons at ambersonproject.com. Updates are frequently posted on Instagram as @theambersonsproject.)
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